Comfort Me
by Always Hopeful
Summary: COMPLETE! ONE SHOT! Response to Challenge 79 on the MMAD boards. Albus comes back after three weeks away to find Minerva sleeping at Grimmauld Place.


**Disclaimer: I do not own it nor will I ever own it.**

**A/N: Hope you like it.**

**Comfort Me...**

A grey tabby cat lay sleeping in one of the many rooms at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. The sun came streaming in through the only window in the room and warmed the cat lying upon the bed. The house was empty because Mrs. Weasly had taken the children out to buy their school supplies while the others were doing business for the Order. Minerva had finished earlier with her work than she had expected to so she had come to Grimmauld Place in the hopes of finding someone to talk to. When she arrived, however, she had found the house empty.

So, she had gone to the library to read before she changed her mind and quickly decided to go to the bedroom which she often used when she stayed the night at Grimmauld Place. When she got there, she suddenly felt a sense of deep loneliness. She had not seen her husband for nearly three weeks and it was really beginning to get to her. He had been gone this long before and it had rarely bothered her, but lately she could not help the nagging feeling at the back of her mind that this war was different from the other ones. What if Albus never showed up again? What if he died during a mission?

Before she knew it, Minerva was crying as she looked out the window, wondering when Albus would arrive. She had not received word from him and she was scared. He usually found some way of sending her word, or some sign, that he was alright and that he was thinking of her. However, he had not sent word in over two weeks and she was beginning to worry.

Oh, she really needed to work off some of this frustration. So, she did what she so often did when she was frustrated. She transformed into her animagus form and ran around the house. Perhaps it was not the best thing she could do, but it always had helped her in the past. And now, she was lying down fast asleep. She was exhausted not just from the run around the house, but also by the angst she was feeling from not having seen or heard from her husband in over two weeks. She missed him and wanted to talk to him. Where could he be?

Ooooooooooo

"Alright, children, take your things up to your rooms and meet me back down here for lunch." Molly Weasly closed the door behind her as her children, Harry, and Hermione entered and made their way toward their rooms, all talking excitedly about one thing or another. Molly had just taken her cloak off and was about to make her way towards the kitchen when there was a knock on the door. She frowned. Who could that be? She opened the door and gasped.

"Albus?" she breathed. There he was, looking tired and worn, but alive nonetheless. "You're here?" He smiled slightly.

"Yes, I am here, Molly," he smiled, entering and taking off his traveling cloak. Molly took it from him and smiled.

"Oh, I cannot tell you how happy I-," she began.

"Where is she?" Albus asked, looking at her.

"Minerva?" she asked. He nodded.

"Where is she? Where is my wife?" He was anxious to see her. Due to a few things that had happened, he had been unable to contact her and tell her he was alright.

"Oh," replied Molly. It still made her heart happy when she heard Albus refer to Minerva as his wife or Minerva refer to Albus as her husband. She wasn't supposed to know, but she had accidentally walked in on them in a loving embrace a few weeks back and was, therefore, sworn to secrecy. After she told her husband, of course. She furrowed her brow in thought. "Well, I have not seen her today. The last I heard, she was supposed to go to a meeting at the ministry and then do her usual rounds. But I have not seen her." Albus heaved a sigh.

"Oh dear," he said. "She was the first person I wanted to see. Well, perhaps she is at Hogwarts. Thank you, Molly, I shall speak with you later." He was about to leave when Molly stopped him.

"Don't rush off so quickly, Albus," she said. "You look exhausted. Why don't you take a short nap before lunch? I'll see if I can't find Minerva for you."

"Thank you, Molly, but really I-," Molly hushed him.

"No more arguing, Albus. You looked completely worn out. It is absolutely necessary that you take at least half an hour rest." As she spoke, she began to shoo him upstairs. Albus chuckled.

"Very well, Molly," he said. "I'll nap, but only for half an hour. Please do try and find Minerva for me, won't you? I would normally not ask, but-," Molly nodded.

"I understand. Now go." He chuckled slightly as he made his way to the rooms he sometimes shared with his wife. Molly shook her head and smiled as she watched the overworked headmaster make his way slowly up the stairs.

Ooooooooooo

Upon entering the room, the first thing he noticed was a certain presence. And it was not just any presence, mind you. He could feel the loving presence of his wife. But where was she? Then he smiled when he looked down upon the bed and saw a grey tabby cat lying upon the bed, sleeping. What had she been doing, he wondered?

He made his way towards the bed and gently sat on the side before slowly reaching out and began petting the cat. The cat, in turn, began to purr rather loudly before stretching gracefully and turning onto her back. When the cat's eyes opened, there was a sense of shock in them and, a moment later, the cat disappeared to be replaced with the figure of his beautiful wife. Albus' hand stopped, resting upon her stomach now.

"Albus, is that really you? Or am I dreaming again?" Albus chuckled.

"It is me, my love," he replied. Not a moment later he found himself wrapped in the loving arms of his wife, the most beautiful woman in the world.

"Oh, Albus, I am so glad to have you back," she moaned, crying into his shoulder. He did his best to soothe her while he rubbed her back gently.

"Shh, it's alright, Tabby," he whispered gently. When her tears had stopped, she took the time to just enjoy being in his arms.

"With Voldemort's return, I have constantly feared losing you," she whispered. He hugged her tightly to him as he did his best to chase away her fears.

"I know, my love," he replied. "I wish I could promise you that I would be alright. I wish I could remove all these fears from your heart. But you know those would just be pie crust promises. Easily made, easily broken." Minerva could not help the two or three tears which escaped her eyes.

"I know. This is why I never asked you to make such promises." She pulled back and looked at him. "But that does not stop the nightmares I have every other night of you not returning home to my loving arms." He smiled.

"Well, there is one promise I can keep. As long as I am living… as long as I have a breath to breathe, I shall always return to your loving arms. That is where I shall always return because that is where I shall always want to be. That is, as long as you'll have me." She smiled. Oh, how she loved this man. She placed both hands on either side of his face and brought him closer until his lips were mere centimeters from her own face.

"I shall always want you, in every sense of the word." With that, she kissed him with such tenderness that he had grown accustomed to.

Ooooooooooo

When Molly knocked on the door half an hour later, she received no answer. Opening the door, she saw the most beautiful sight one could see. It was the sight of man and wife lying, sleeping side by side, wrapped in each others arms. Closing the door quietly, she made her way downstairs.

"Sweet dreams," she said. She turned and made her way down the stairs. "May you know a few moments peace in this time of despair." With that, she made her way to the kitchen, where the children had already begun to gather.

**A/N2: Good? Bad? Let me know. Read long and prosper. Always Hopeful**


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